In the United States, people take legal steps to remove a father's surname for reasons tied to family relationships and personal identity. Decisions by several of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's children have renewed attention to the difference between using a name publicly and changing it through a formal legal process.
In California, 25-year-old Hannah recently completed a legal process to change her surname, combining her mother's maiden name with her husband's. For years, she used her mother's surname in daily life while her official documents still carried her father's name. The process took several months and cost hundreds of dollars. Hannah said the change was necessary and overdue, adding that her new surname better reflects the relationships that matter most to her.
Media reports said Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt filed in April to remove “Pitt” from their surnames, then published notices in a local newspaper for four weeks during June and July. Both had already used “Jolie” publicly, including at Zahara's graduation and in Maddox's film credits. Those public uses are distinct from a court-approved legal change. Reports said a California court approved Zahara's request on September 28, 2026, giving her the name Zahara Marley Jolie, and that Maddox also received approval in September. Shiloh, who turned 18 in May 2024 and could petition independently as an adult, sought the name Shiloh Nouvel Jolie. The children's individual name decisions have been widely linked to their strained relationship with Brad Pitt, but public filings do not give a detailed explanation for each person's choice.
California name-change proceedings generally require a petition and court order, with notice to affected parties and publication in an approved newspaper where required. Requirements can vary by county and information from the applicant's circumstances. Adults gain legal recognition through the court process; using a different surname publicly or professionally does not, by itself, change a person's legal name. The process for minors is more constrained, since parental consent and notice requirements may apply.
Procedures also differ across the United Kingdom. In England and Wales, people aged 16 or older can generally adopt a new name using an unenrolled deed poll without enrolling it with the High Court. Enrolment is optional, handled through the Royal Courts of Justice and carries a stated fee of £53.05. Enrolled deeds are published in The Gazette with the person's name and address. An unenrolled deed poll avoids publication, though organizations may set their own documentary requirements. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate administrative arrangements.
For a child in England and Wales, a name change generally requires agreement from everyone with parental responsibility or a court order. If agreement is unavailable, an application for a specific issue can be made using Form C100; the cited court fee is £270. These requirements can make a change harder when one parent objects. Hannah's California experience involved a $400 filing fee and another $130 for newspaper publication, which she described as outdated.
For many people, changing a surname is a deeply personal decision. Maggie, from Lincolnshire, described feeling relieved after taking her mother's surname at 16, having disliked her father's name since childhood. She cited emotional distance and negative associations as reasons for the change. Family counsellors and researchers say parental estrangement can bring mixed emotions, including grief and a sense of freedom. A surname change can mark a personal boundary, while also requiring practical steps such as updating identity documents and notifying institutions.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. Maddox, Pax and Zahara were adopted by Jolie and later adopted by Pitt; Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne are their biological children. The children have used “Jolie” in different settings, including public introductions and entertainment credits, but those appearances do not establish that each has legally changed their surname.
In Spain, surname changes are subject to legal requirements, and people typically use both paternal and maternal surnames. The procedures differ from those in the United States and the United Kingdom, but these cases raise familiar questions about how names express identity through family ties and personal autonomy across different naming traditions.
